Skip to main content
surely

surely

1.0
Without any doubt
  • adverb
  • /ˈʃʊrli/
translation icon : seguramente
  • Surely, they didn't eat themselves, did they?
  • slowly but surely
  • almost surely
  • just as surely

But gradually, slowly but surely, it did come along.

Autoplay Next

Examples

  • I mean, surely this thing can still game, right?

  • And slowly but surely my entire life changed.

  • But they surely must have done it before too.

  • But then slowly but surely, the people start to fall away.

  • The fall of Acre must now surely follow.

  • We may not get another chance, and I'd surely like to hear a Christmas message.

    Fiction book (1990)
  • With diabetes in school, that surely is not a desirable situation.

  • Surely that's not too much to ask?

  • The total of ransoms paid in 2010 will surely dwarf those of previous years.

    Academic text (2011)
  • She will surely win the competition with such talent.

Synonyms

certainly
vssurely
1.0

Showing that something is true or will happen without any doubt

puts more weight on speaker expectation than formal verification
absolutely
vssurely
1.0

Completely and without any doubt

expresses confidence but without the total intensity of that word
obviously
vssurely
1.0

In a way that is easy to see or understand

is used to state expectation rather than describing direct evidence
sure
vssurely
  • Informal
1.0

To say certainly or definitely

is the more formal or neutral adverb for expressing confident expectation
for sure
vssurely
  • Informal
700 2.0

Without any doubt

serves as a neutral confident expectation across many contexts
undoubtedly
vssurely
156 3.5

Without any doubt

is more about confident expectation than objective proof
for certain
vssurely
104 1.3

To be completely sure and have no doubt

expresses confident expectation rather than a demonstrated fact
sure enough
vssurely
58 2.7

Shows that something happens exactly as expected

is used to express confident expectation before an outcome rather than report confirmation
decidedly
vssurely
56 3.9

In a clear way that leaves no doubt

is used to express confident expectation rather than strong finality
unequivocally
vssurely
  • Formal
37 6.9

In a clear way that leaves no doubt

is used more to show confident expectation rather than to remove ambiguity
undeniably
vssurely
29 4.4

In a clear way that leaves no doubt

is used to express confident expectation rather than prove impossibility
conclusively
vssurely
27 3.9

In a way that proves something and leaves no doubt

is used to express confident expectation rather than proven conclusion
unquestionably
vssurely
26 3.7

Without any doubt

is used to express confident expectation rather than resisting challenge
doubtless
vssurely
24 3.7

In a way that is certain

leans toward speaker expectation rather than documented proof
assuredly
vssurely
19 4.7

Without any doubt and with confidence

focuses on expectation without proving the matter conclusively
unmistakably
vssurely
13 4.1

In a very clear way that people cannot mistake

is used more to mark speaker expectation than to show clarity
indisputably
vssurely
7 5.4

In a way that is clearly true and cannot be doubted

functions as a confident expectation rather than final evidence
without doubt
vssurely
7 2.3

Says that something is certainly true

serves to show expectation rather than present formal proof
beyond a doubt
vssurely
7 3.0

Completely sure with no chance of being wrong

is used more to show expectation than to state absolute proof
sure as shit
vssurely
  • Offensive
5 9.9

You can be certain it is true

conveys confident expectation in a polite, non vulgar way
beyond doubt
vssurely
4 2.8

Completely certain with no possible reason to think it is wrong

is applied more for speaker expectation than final demonstration
verily
vssurely
  • Archaic
4 9.9

People often say it in old or formal language to show truth

is the modern, neutral way to show confident expectation
indubitably
vssurely
  • Formal
3 8.6

Clearly and without doubt

acts as a speaker expectation marker rather than a formal proof claim
doubtlessly
vssurely
3 4.6

In a way that shows there is no doubt

is used to show confident expectation rather than assert a proven fact
inarguably
vssurely
3 6.8

Clearly true and cannot be denied

is used to show confident expectation rather than formal proof
incontrovertibly
vssurely
  • Formal
1 9.1

In a way that no one can doubt

speaks more to expectation than to formal indisputable proof
unarguably
vssurely
1 6.1

It is clearly true and cannot be doubted

is chiefly a marker of confident expectation rather than absolute proof
unassailably
vssurely
1 9.0

Clearly true and cannot be doubted

is used more to convey expectation than to state irrefutable evidence
sure as shooting
vssurely
  • Informal
1 8.2

Completely certain that something will happen

is the calmer expression of confident expectation rather than an absolute claim
undisputedly
vssurely
1 5.8

Clearly and without any doubt

functions as a confident expectation rather than settled proof
sure as sugar
vssurely
  • Informal
1 8.8

Certain to happen without any doubt

is a plain expression of confident expectation without playfulness
sure as eggs
vssurely
  • Archaic
9.9

Says that something will definitely happen or is true

is a neutral way to express confident expectation without strong emphasis
sure as the world
vssurely
  • Informal
9.1

Certain to happen

is a more neutral expression of confident expectation rather than guarantee

Antonyms

11 4.0

Act or speak in a way that shows you are not sure

4 3.8

In a way that shows you are not sure and have little confidence

How Certain

definitely
1.0
surely
1.0
probably
1.0
maybe
1.0

Surface Forms

surely positive

Morphology

surely = sure (transparent) = sure + ly

The word 'surely' is transparently derived from 'sure' with the adverbial suffix '-ly', indicating a manner of being sure.

Etymology

The word surely comes from sure plus the ending -ly, and sure goes back to an old Latin word securus meaning 'without care' or 'safe'. If something feels 'safe' and you have no worry, you are confident, so surely means 'without doubt' or 'certainly'.